AB0853 The role of IL-17, IL-23 serum levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis with inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: G. Lukina, P. Kulakova, E. Alexandrova, A. Novikov, N. Savenkova, A. Klimets, I. Kartushina, A. Kovshik, E. Volnukhin
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background Currently, there is a lot of interest in the frequency and risks of developing of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) [1]. IL-17 and IL-23 are one of the key pathogenetic markers of AS [2]. A lot of studies also showed that the average number of IL-17 cells was significantly increased in active Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD) patients [3]. According to some studies cytokines, such as IL-17 and IL-23, play crucial role in intestinal protection and homeostasis [4]. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate IL-17 and IL-23 serum levels in patients with AS without IBD and with AS and IBD. Methods In the analysis were included 50 patients with AS, fulfilling the modified New York criteria, among them man-36 (72%), woman-14 (28%), mean age of patients was 42.5±9.9, mean disease duration – 13.4±8.7 years. All patients were examined with ESR, CRP, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, IL-17 and IL-23, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the quantitative measurement of IL-17 and IL-23 in serum ELISA kit. IL-17 and IL-23 levels were also studied in control group (13 healthy donors), mean IL-17 was 1.16±1.02 pg/mL, mean IL-23 was 33.03±18.02 pg/mL. Results All patients had a high disease activity, mean BASDAI was 5.3± 1.8, mean ASDAS CRP 3.7±1.01, mean ASDAS ESR 3.6±1.01. IBD were diagnosed in 11 cases: 6 patients (12%) with CD and 5 patients (10%) - UC, in the remaining cases (78%-39 patients) was no intestinal pathology. Patiens with AS had higher levels of IL-17(10.4±9.1 pg/ml) and IL-23(188±156 pg/ml), than the group of healthy donors. Patients with AS and IBD had slightly lower IL-17(6.7±4.5 pg/ml) and IL-23(155.5±97 pg/ml) levels than patients with AS without IBD(p=0.03). IL-23 was positively correlated with ESR (r=0.5) and CRP (r=0.5) (p &lt;0.001) levels, however IL-17 level had negative correlation with ESR and CRP level (r=-0.2) (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion IL-23 and IL 17 serum levels in patients with AS and IBD was lower than in patients with AS without IBD. There is a significant association between the CRP, ESR and IL-23 level, but not with IL-17. References [1]Lukina G.V., Kulakova P.I., Novikov A.A., Savenkova N.A., Alexandrova E.A., Volnukhin E.V., Kovshik A.N. Frequency of inflammatory bowel diseases in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Medical alphabet. 2019;2(37):12-15. https://doi.org/10.33667/2078-5631-2019-2-37 (412)-12-15. [2]Sherlock JP, Taylor PC, Buckley CD. The biology of IL-23 and IL-17 and their therapeutic targeting in rheumatic diseases. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2015 Jan;27(1):71-5.doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000132. [3]Fujino S, Andoh A, Bamba S, et al. Increased expression of interleukin 17 in inflammatory bowel diseases. Gut.2003;52:65-70. [4]Shen W, Durum SK. Synergy of IL-23 and Th17 cytokines: new light on inflammatory bowel disease. Neurochem Res. 2010 Jun;35(6):940-6. doi: 10.1007/s11064-009-0091-9 Disclosure of Interests None declared